1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to roofing products, and more specifically, to a roof panel support that allows individuals to walk on a steel panel roof without permanently deforming the steel panels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Steel panel is a common roofing material for use on new construction as well as reroofing installations over existing wood shake roofs. It is very popular for its lightweight, yet weatherproof properties as well as its ease of installation. The thin, lightweight nature of the steel panel allows it to be easily and cost-effectively installed on new construction, or over existing wood shake. An example of a steel roofing panel is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,184 to Waller.
In a typical installation, 2×2 inch wood strips are attached horizontally to the roof to act as battens on which the front of the steel panels will rest. Raising the front of the steel panel in this way creates a space between the roofing surface and the underside of the roofing panel. Unfortunately, due to the thinness of the steel panels, they tend to bend and permanently deflect when the roof is walked on. In addition to being unsightly, damaged steel roofs may not provide adequate water drainage or weather protection.
Some attempts have been made to provide custom-shaped supports underneath the steel panel. These supports are molded to exactly match the profile of the roofing panels. The cost of the molds required are typically quite substantial and in some cases, too expensive to justify the use of such supports. Such molded supports also have the limitations that they are only compatible with the specific panel for which they were designed. Additionally, such conforming supports tend to be somewhat difficult to install due to the difficulty in ensuring that the supports are aligned with the panels.